Thank you all so much for the kind comments and suggestions from Chapter 1! I love how much you already love Rayden & Quinn! I still haven't found an editor... but I am trying SO hard to do better with the grammar and run ons in the meantime. I have 2 writing apps I run it through before submission so hopefully that catches most of them! Many of you wanted a longer story, so I have combined chapters 2 & 3 and am working on making sure all the rest to follow are longer!
Chapter 2
Quinn pulled the handle, immediately flooded with relief when she found it unlocked. Exhausted, she slid down the door to the cold tile floor once inside the safety of its darkness and the locked door behind her.
She hadn't had a random panic attack like that in months.
"What was wrong?" she thought silently. It was like the fires of hell were stoking for her, while being drug to the gates to her own damnation. Her skin felt cold and clammy, her body quivered uncontrollably as images that were seared into the theatre of her mind flashed over and over.
"NO! No no no!" she cried into the dark.
She wore bracelets every night to work, and most anywhere made of thick leather straps, held closed with smaller straps and small, silver buckles that resembled studded belts. The perfect size to hide something small and thin. She flicked the buckles with her left hand in the dark, where a black silken piece of cloth sat, neatly concealing something folded inside.
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!*
The loud and abrupt pounding tore her from the intrusive thoughts, causing her to nearly jump from her own skin. The object under her bracelet fell to the floor unnoticed to Quinn, as she relatched the bracelet and got to her feet, flipping on the light switch hoping the person pounding wouldn't ask questions about why she'd hadn't turned it on previously.
"Sorry. I'll be out in a minute." she called to the impatient person on the other side.
"Open the door." a male voice full of authority replied flatly.
"Seriously?" she muttered under her breath. "The men's room is down the hall!" she snapped back.
"Open. The. Door." the voice clipped again, leaving no room for argument.
Having ran out of patience, her anxiety retreating to anger, she flicked the lock and pulled open the door ready for a fight.
"Look you ignoramus-" she started, before realizing to whom she was speaking.
6' 7" of pure perfection stood in front of her.
"Fuck." The word was out of her mouth before she could stop it.
"Right now?" he said coyly, raising his eyebrows clearly amused, "Or after your shift?" A sly grin formed over his gorgeous face as he stared back at the wide eyed, frozen beauty, before him.
She brought a hand to her mouth as if trying to push the word back, her face turning scarlet, as she stood before Rayden Cage.
The boss. The main event. The Godfather, for lack of all other analogies.
He smelled of nicotine and subtle cologne. She wasn't sure if it was cologne, or just the scent that came from his perfect physique, but it teased and tickled her nose.
Her brown eyes focused on his brow, to give the appearance that they met his eyes, but he wasn't fooled.
"What's your name?" he snapped, breaking the silence, demanding an answer to a question he already knew. Rayden knew everyone that worked for him, intel and record keeping if you will. Nothing got passed him, ever.
As if she forgot everything she built her existence on her voice, barely a whisper breathed, "Va- n- nn-ness..."
"What the hell!?" her mind scolded silently, catching the mistake she hadn't made in 2 years.
"QUINN!" she finally spat. Desperate to cover the error. "My name is Quinn, Mr... C-aagge."
"Get it together!" Her mind demanded.
"Look at me." Rayden ordered. Her eyes still fixed on his brow that had knitted into an aggravated stare.
She shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. "I-- I am." she lied as her eyes began darting side to side in panic.
In a swift, graceful movement, Rayden was through the door slamming it behind him with his foot, before taking hold of her around the waist, spinning 180Β° pressing her against the door with his rock solid body, holding her several feet off the ground, so she was face to face with him.
"Got something to hide from me?" he accused.
"Damn, she was beautiful." His thoughts intruded, as she shook, pinned between the cold door and his unforgiving form helplessly.
"Cheshire cat got your tongue, Rabbit?" he leaned in and whispered, lips pressed against her ear.
"Ra-rabb-bit..?" she stammered against him.
Pulling his face from her hair, he brought his hand under her chin and firmly clasped ahold, his eyes burned into hers as he forced her to make eye contact with him.
Petrified, she couldn't peel her dark brown eyes from his ice cold blue ones. Her heart beat became harder and faster against his chest.